Eco-labelling tourism

Many certificates – limited effectiveness

In 2000/2001, the World Tourism Organisation
(WTO) commissioned ECOTRANS to carry out a global study on
voluntary initiatives for sustainable tourism. More than 100
eco-labels, awards and self-committing initiatives were studied
in the first comparative analysis worldwide, to assess the
history, development, objectives, requirements, procedures
and effectiveness of each and every initiative.

The study found that many eco-labels are struggling to survive
and meet the promises they made to their certified businesses
in terms of significant cost savings and increased consumer demand.

Diversity of tourism –
diversity of eco-labels
Europe has far more “green” certification programmes than any other
region of the world. In the 1980s - 90s, an increasing number of tourism associations,
consumer groups, and governmental bodies began to pay attention to ecologically
sound tourism. In 2004, there are more than 50 environmental certificates and
awards in Europe covering all types of tourism suppliers, including accommodation,
beaches, marinas, protected areas, restaurants, handicrafts, golf courses,
tour packages and various other tourism-related activities. More than 40 schemes
certify accommodation services: hotels with or without restaurants, camping
sites, youth hostels, farm houses, alpine huts, holiday houses, guest houses,
bed and breakfast lodgings and others. www.eco-tip.org

The diversity of tourism in Europe presents, however, enormous
challenges for certification initiatives. In developing an eco-label,
a number of questions must be asked: Which product groups to select?
Which services to include? Which cri­teria should be mandatory
or optional? What is the balance between process (environmental
management systems) and performance criteria? How to get applicants?
How to train and advise them? How to verify and guarantee the compliance
of the applicants with the required criteria? How to reach tour
operators and individual consumers to generate a demand for the
sustainable products?
In principle, a tourism eco-label needs a homogeneous product group
with clear and common components or services, to ensure that environmental
impacts can be compared and rated. Every tourism eco-label initiative
has to face this diverse range of products and issues when defining
the product group and developing the criteria for a certification
scheme. The ideal eco-label requires a set of criteria for “better
environmental performance”, which

goes beyond what is required by law (national or regional),
and

is achievable by a significant proportion of the target
group of tourism providers in order to provide a real “better
choice” to the consumer.

Low market share
In 2003, tourism eco-labels as a whole certified 4000 accommodation
suppliers, which represents less than 1% of the market share. Only
a few schemes, for example in Scotland or Denmark can offer a choice
of 10% or more. There is significant evidence that many of the
participants in these eco-labels successfully reduce their water
and energy consumption, waste production, contribute to overcome
traffic-related problems and help to preserve the biodiversity
and beauty of the surrounding landscape. However, businesses voluntarily
enrol in certification programmes on the assumption that consumers
will patronise the services that have received an eco-label. The
evidence indicates that many of these eco-labelling programmes
have not been very effective in publicising their programmes to
consumers.

The
diversity of eco-labels
Each certificate has its own history. All together they
cover an enormous treasure of knowledge and experience with
relation to their specific situations and conditions for
operating. One can find: